Tom Toles, the person who drew the political cartoon, use to work for the Buffalo News where he was a HUGE communist liberal. Toles was such a good leftist liberal that the Washington Post newspaper hired him away from the Buffalo News to go work for them.

I'm shocked..... really, really, shocked.......that he would create a political cartoon that would attack ANY liberal administration, especially Obama.

If Obama lost Tom Toles this is equivalent to Nixon losing Walter Cronkite.

Engineers worry about the process, how to improve the process or extract as much from the process as possible. Managers objectify the process as a commodity, thus removing themselves from both quality and assurance, that is what programs like total quality management are for; the appearance of quality and assurance.

To be fair, some problems are business problems and some problems are engineering problems. They are really very different critters.

Politics is what fucks everything up. And that dimension will be with humanity until our fucking star goes dark (not that we will last that long).

I realized all this a few years back and moved away from the city ... I enjoy life now ... for as long as it is enjoyable. Go for a walk, listen to music that excites your emotions, eat food that satisfies. And have a couple beers. Do all of that with your best friend for life.

And, someone above is trying to fuck up some potato skins by boiling them. . . cherish them and, the next day, heat them in the oven 'til hot-n-toasty. Then, add butter and salt and eat as-is or, make them your bread and stuff w/meats and cheeses and vegetables and have a potato skin sandwich :)

After my time in the war, I interviewed for a few engineering jobs, but apparently there are jobs that Americans will take but for which American companies are not willing to pay a free-market rate (Which explains the AmCham's obsession with immigration "reform" and hiring H1B types to do the work they claim American's cannot do). Anyway, I took my engineering brain to Wall Street, where they actually paid engineers what they are worth. Then I got tired of earning a merely good paycheck and decided I wanted to be an executive, but I found myself too often bogged down in making sure my formulae and spreadsheets tied together nice and neat, which is not as easy as it might sound when you do business plans, budgeting and scenario analyses, since those quite often involve some plug or filler element that represent the "A miracle occurs here" box we've all seen on that blackboard full of equations. Worrying about things being traceable back to reality can be poisonous to a career; I realised early on that a lot of time can be saved for more useful things like schmoozing if you simply make shit up. Everyone who is anybody does it, and when things just don't work out as the model might have predicted if it had been well formulated, you simply blame the deviation on things like the weather or "un-predictable" political risks (as if any of those are actually unpredictable).

Yeah but really, how many times have you fixed the fuxking washing/machine - dishwasher so she can go buy some shoes? over it. I've never been able to throw away anything that might be useful, and no5hing feels as good as making "broken" shit work again.

It's funny but I have never asked Mr to fix anything for me. I simply pull the thing apart and try to do it myself. Then Mr comes in and says something to the effect " Dear fucking God, that is not the way to do that!" Then he grabs my tools, pushes me aside and gets busy at it. I start to slink away smiling in my achievement of brilliant female manipulation. Suddenly I feel a tight grip on my arm. " where do you think you're going? Put these bolts in your pocket. Now hold this wrench here tight as I loosen the fitting above."

*Sigh*

The shoe shop never gets my patronage but that's ok by me. Doing projects with a man who thinks you're worth his attention is quite rewarding.

So Sat, on a one hour drive to family reunion, the Wifey decides to start pushing the buttons. It's mostly my fault, I don't talk to her. I married her thirty one years ago, and it was for the tits. If I want to know what happened on the Bachelorette , she's my gal.
So she ponied up the 4" of shoe moulding I never installed 10 years ago when doing hardwood floors. I reminded her, shoe moulding comes in 10' pieces, and it don't understand, if it's so important to you , why after 10 years you haven't tried to do it yourself. You could have picked up a piece, and by now, be an expert. If it's that important.
Well, that was a fucking mistake. After 31 years, I know better. There was no escape. That witch screamed at me for 45 minutes, til she finally ran out of shit to say.

The lesson. ( and I know this already) It's not about the moulding. It's about the life she has, not perfect enough, and MY fault. And if the moulding gets fixed, TWO things take it's place.

There are lessons in there for you youngsters. Number one, want something done, do it yourself.

You have affirmed my decision how to treat my husband after 30 years of marriage and I thank you for it. I had come to the realization men don't respond well to nagging after watching countless women do it and observing their blank dead stares. I was incredulous they kept doing such a pointless ineffectual action that only caused frustration on both sides. I decided I would learn as much as I could about men so I could communicate effectively.

The first thing I discovered was men be respected as well as have respect for another. This is foundational. Once respect is lost, it is very difficult, if not impossible to recover. My husband and I have disagreements but they are respectful. I respect his nature as a man and would never ask anything of him that would be against his nature such as treat him like a chatty girl friend. He does the same for me. Having this foundation makes the scenario you described never happen between us.

If you had pointed out to me I had left the moulding sit for ten years, I would have looked you straight in the face and said " You are absolutely right and I am ashamed of this. Would you be so kind to show me how to start one piece so the job is done correctly?" I'm pretty sure you would do so. Then when I got to a corner, I would ask you how to cut it properly. I'm pretty sure you'd help me with the band saw. As I progressed I'd call you over to see my work and accept criticism if needed. After it all was done, I think you'd have some respect for my effort even though you know you could have done a better job.

My husband married me for my tits too. He's still fascinated with them. But he loves me for my vibrancy, kindness,gentleness and perception. I am honored to have his love and respect. And I am sorry you listened to 45' of bitching. That was disrespectful and pointless.

I realized all this a few years back and moved away from the city ... I enjoy life now ... for as long as it is enjoyable. Go for a walk, listen to music that excites your emotions, eat food that satisfies. And have a couple beers. Do all of that with your best friend for life.

Yeah, I was told essentially that when I finished my Master's in Civil Engineering waaaaay backin '82. My professor told me that I had the tools to design just about anything I would ever be assigned to do. The only thing standing in my way would be the money guys and the politicians (government and company upper-level blowhards).

So true.

And I, too, have left the field and am now enjoying my garden, my cats, my wife of 38 years, and my little house in the country.

.....Fucking1. The man's erect penis rapidly thrusting back and forth in the woman's vagina (or an anus).
2. The woman's vagina (or an anus)rubbing up and down on the man's erect penis.
3. The action of the penis penetrating an object or a person.
4. An insertion of the vagina that is pleasing to the woman.
....nihilistic A word that nobody really knows what it actually means but is often used by pretentious book and film critics so that they can feel smug.
......faggot In these times not really used if somebody is really a homosexual mostly used insteap of calling somebody stupid or a loser.
.....what's your point?

The difference between the two is important. I did a presentation on why the American automobile companies were failing about a decade ago. Here is my shorthand difference between the two.

Exec.: We have a problem. Sales are continuing slide year over year. What do we need to do?

Engineer: We need to buld a better car.

Marketing: We need a better advertising campaign.

Exec.: Building a better car takes a long time and lots of retooling and retraining. Let's drop a half billion in a quick ad campaign that gives our cars a sexy/sporty/family/manly/sensible image. Hire cheerleaders/race drivers/grandma/cowboys/metrosexuals to be in the ads and create the image.

Okay, on the the nexxxxxt problem. The unions want a 5 hour work day, foot massages at lunch and to overhire by 10% or they go on strike. Hmmmm.

Yup. In the end it is actually management's fault. Whether they are agreeing to wages that are too high or cutting corners.

My theory is that a company goes through three phases.

Phase I. Inspirational phase. This is where the founders are. They have some sort of inspiration and actual expertise. They usually have an actual passion for whatever they are doing whether it is building a car or a better cup of coffee. This is the funnest and most profitable time to work for a company. Once the founders and maybe first generation are gone you go to the next phase.

Phase II. The Professionals. These are the no nonsense guys. They have degreees and connections from Wharton, Yale, etc. They are actually pessimists and do not have any particular passion for the products or services. They stick to tried and true, take only limited risk on the advice of consultants and the solution to all things is "Work more hours.". They do work very hard and occassionally write a book about working hard. They are not as good or as smart as they think or their paychecks would indicate. The gradual downhill slide begins with these guys and gals. fWhen it gets to the point of the obvious the next phase occurs.

Phase III. Salvage. The company is continuing to fail. The last CEO has exited with a grand severance package and now a finance guy takes over. It is always a finance guy. Finance guys should never ever run any company including finance companies. They hate all businesses and the fact that there are any employees. Their basic theory is "We could save a ton of money if we fired everybody." They don't like cars, coffee or puppies. They are tasked with chopping the company down to size to get expenditures below revenues. They do not waste time trying to make better products or services. They are in the salvage mode. In the end, business continues to deteriorate until the company files bankruptcy or is bought by another or merges with another often equally weak company. This is the death of the original company.

Most of us work in Phase II companies. This is actually where most of the misery is.

I was partners in an auto repair shop. It was when R-12 ac refrigerant was being phased out. 90% of the old cars had r12, and peeps wanted ac. They would come in Springtime, we would blow in a pound and a half, and they were good to go for the summer.
Well r12 in a 30# keg, got to $600. Actually, $600 was a good price, if you could find the stuff. That's $20 a pound. I was charging $49 a pound, and $69 for the service. So for $150,a poor slob with and old car, could have ac, at least for another season. That's how most folks have to roll.
Most of my competition couldn't cover the $600 up front cost for the r12.
So I was it. And I knew it. So I got a deal offered, and good terms, and bought 4 kegs one June. $2400. My partner's wife, who kept the books, freaked the fuck out.
And in July, when I bought another 4 kegs for $2400, I thought she was going to have a cardiac! You just bought 4. Last month! WTF!

It behoves us to remember that the classical Greek meaning of economy (oikonomia) was household management. The reality therefore is that without healthy and well managed households the reality of a healthy, sustainable national economy is not attainable.

The ancient Greek philosophers also stressed "Know thyself" and "Nothing to excess," maxims which are lost on the hedonistic iPhone generation who can't be left alone with their own thoughts for more than 10 seconds.

Yes, but the "ship" (of State) carries such precious cargo! Just Nancy Pelosi's make-up kits weigh a ton. And McCain's old lady could crack like a China Doll!. It's all about priorities. - Chelsea, N.Y.C.

Rememeber, it's never about what the headline says. There is always, but always, some other motive for the things that are happening devised and directed by human beans, never as 'purely driven' as an asteroid, ten miles wide headed for Siberia.

(Goddamnit!! Tyler, will you stop with that fucking full page EMIRATES vid and put it in a little box on the side)??

They are volatile and do move...and are a vital part of an economy that cannot be ignored. They will move with inflation, as well. One evens the numbers out by doing 100 day moving averages or something like that. The other problem of leaving them out is it can hide the costs of government intervention. For example, you start something stupid like mandatory ethanol addition to fuels. This ratchets up the price of corn dramatically. More acreage goes to corn reducing the acreage for other crops. All crops go up. Beef goes up because it is grain fed, and so on.

To be honest, this is not true inflation by the text book, but it counts toward rasing the price of living.

I downrated you because I don't want to have to haul my own trash, clean my sewer, or cook my own food all the time. Sometimes I want to go out to eat, or have someone mow my lawn, or as in the case of "Married With Children", sell me a pair of shoes. Not everybody can be a billionaire software developer. We need mundane tasks for people that are not all that smart and educated, and by Gum, they need to make a living wage. What should be going to these people is being stolen by the Banksters and their countless minions with houses in the Hamptons... We've glorified greed and self-service. What kind of world do you expect when you've glorified greed and self-service???? We reap what we sow.

Jesuis was right about the moneychangers: Topple their tables, whip them with scourges, and run them out of the temple!!!!!

While that's true, I will note that a goodly percentage of thier exorbitant rates are eatern up by "regulated" insurance companies, and by "regulated" healthcare providers, and by "regulated" licensing agnecies, and by the highest corporate income tax on the planet.

At least you didn't challenge my thesis that waaaay too much money is being eaten up by MBAs that do nothing more than sit on their greedy self-serving fat asses all day and play shell games with digital money stolen from the peasants.

There is a reason a company pays someone $8 an hour - and there is also a reason someone agrees to work for $8 an hour.

Good chance -

From the business owner's perspective the person/job is only worth $8.

and

From the employee's perspective they can't find a job that pays them any more.

What I don't understand is why so many folks think that some ass hole politician can determine the correct pay rate of someone they have never met - that works for a business they know nothing about - better than the guy that owns the business and the employee that works the job.

I would be like you hiring someone to clean out your sewer that didn't know - in a sewer pipe shit flows downhill.

Thanks for all the replies you guys. The fact is that we are not in an economic collapse. We are in a socio-economic collapse. The social contract has been gutted and the banker class is sucking up all the resources. Trust is now a forlorn memory. Add to that the automation and movement of jobs out of the U.S. and we have a large population of disenfranchised workers adrift and frustrated and as we all know, idle hands breed mischief. This pressure cooker is about to blow up in our faces.

No, I do not promote additional regulation. I did not say that the government should insure adequate pay. The simple fact is that we now have two classes that corporations respond to. The customer class and the consumer class. How is that working out for you??? You can also see that about the same time that corporations started answering to Wall St. is the same time that "consumer" ( a God Awful term if there ever was one) came into popular use. That is also about the same time that the asshats at corporate stopped paying living wages.

I will repeat myself. The money is being stolen by the moneychangers (read banksters, et. al.) and they should held accountable.

Nothing affects the price of labor (wages) as profoundly as its supply. The laboring classes harm themselves by failing to understand the economic utility of child-rearing in an industrial economy. The simple fact is that those who can't earn a living wage are being immolated by overpopulation. When people are made to understand this, they always say, "well what are we gonna do, have no kids?" Not necessarily, but at least understand that you are choosing to be poor.

Pay increases alone will not do it, because they are inherently inflationary for labor. All pay increases cause offsetting price increases almost immediately. For the laboring classes, pay raises are intrinsically self-negating. For the owners of capital, increases in profit require increases in efficiency or production. If labor had to wait for a share of this increase, then wage increases would be rare, not annual, events.

A lack of understanding of basic business and economics has had a chilling effect on our economy. Small business, with two to ten employees, are becoming an endangered species in America. The family business once the backbone of this country is under attack from the unintended consequences of the many laws and mandates passed in recent years.

Inspections, a plethora of permits, licenses, taxes, insurance requirements, and regulations make it almost impossible for a small business to open, compete, and operate legally. Big government has become toxic for small business. More on this subject in the article below.